The present invention relates to a radio pager and more particularly to a data display radio pager.
Generally, a data display radio pager receives a paging signal, decodes it to produce a corresponding digital signal, and determines whether or not the digital signal includes an address number assigned to the pager. If the answer of this decision is positive, the pager outputs an alert tone, writes a message, if it follows the address number, in a storage, and displays the message on a display as a received message.
The above radio pager includes a read switch and a reset switch. When the user of the pager operates the read switch, the message stored in the storage appears on the display. When the user operates the reset switch when the pager is displaying a received message, a receipt waiting mode is set up.
A problem with the above conventional pager is that when an interrupt due to a receipt (receipt interrupt hereinafter) occurs when the pager is reading out a message out of the storage, the message stored is automatically replaced with an incoming message just received. This forces the user to again operate the read switch when the user desires to see the message having been read out. On the other hand, assume that the message being read out of the storage is held on the display despite a receipt interrupt. Then, the user must repeat the switching operation a plurality of times when the user desires to see an incoming message immediately. In any case, when a receipt interrupt occurs, the conventional pager requires the user to perform a complicated switching operation.
Technologies relating to the present invention are disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 7-298327 and 9-46743 and Japanese Patent Nos. 2,701,835 and 2,702,463.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a data display radio pager capable of allowing the user thereof to see a message extremely easily.
A data display radio pager of the present invention includes a a storage for storing a message following an address number included in a paging signal if the address number is identical with an address number assigned to the pager. A display displays the message as a received message. A read switch reads the message out of the storage when operated by the user of the pager. When the read switch is operated, the controller accesses the storage for causing the message to be displayed on the display. In the event of a receipt interrupt occurring when the controller is reading the message out of the storage, the controller causes the message stored and an incoming message to be displayed on the display. Alternatively, in the event of a receipt interrupt occurring when the controller is reading the message out of the storage, and if the incoming message is a preselected information message, the controller may cause the message stored and incoming message to be displayed on the display.